Regional events celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Here are some events events around Western Washington commemorating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., leading up to and on Jan. 16, the observed holiday in 2023.

January 10-16: The Seattle MLK, Jr. Organizing Coalition presents 40 years of continuing Dr. King’s mission with several events. This year’s theme is “Together We Can Be THE Dream.” Events include workshops (virtual Jan.10-14 and in-person on Jan. 16 at Garfield High School), and a youth event on Jan. 15.

On Jan. 16, there’s an Opportunity Fair from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Garfield High School, a rally at 11 a.m. in the Garfield High School gym, and march beginning at 12:30 p.m. starting in the Garfield High School parking lot.

In support of the Seattle MLK Jr. Organizing Coalition’s march, United Way of King County invites volunteers to help make signs from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. as their Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service activity.

January 13: Seattle Colleges presents the 50th Annual Community Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Brockley Center at South Seattle College, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The program is from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by a community conversation with Keynote Speaker, the Rev. Sharon Risher and Seattle College’s D’Andre Fisher in 120 Olympic Hall. The event will be MC’d by ` 7 News evening anchor Monique Ming Laven, and includes a recognition of the 2023 McKinney Scholar, honoring the late Rev. Samuel McKinney.

January 13: South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia presents a Martin Luther King, Jr. Lecture featuring Dr. Mary Frances Berry: Making Diversity & Inclusion Effective at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. Dr. Berry is a respected civil rights, gender equality and social justice activist. Admission is free for SPSCC students, staff, and faculty; general admission is $15.

January 13-15: On Jan.13, the Snohomish County Black Heritage Committee (SBCHC) welcomes all to gather at Everett Memorial Stadium for a MLK march and rally ending at the Carl Gibson Center where a community celebration featuring guest speakers, food and other presentations will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Sunday celebration on Jan. 15 is 3:30-5:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Everett.

January 13-15: Bainbridge Island Museum of Art hosts a weekend-long community celebration of MLK Day which features speakers, art, music, demonstrations and more by local organizers, educators, artists, activists, and social justice organizations. Check website for event times.

January 14: Experience history through live theatrical performances and archival film in this presentation by Living Voices about the struggle for civil rights at MOHAI in Seattle. Event included with admission. From 1-3 p.m.

January 14: Bellingham Unity Committee is hosting a Unity Ball at the Bellingham Yacht Club at 7 p.m. Taken from a message that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave at Mason Temple in. Memphis, Tennessee, on April 3, 1968, the theme of this year’s ball is Celebrate Yourself Like Never Before. During this final public appearance before his tragic assassination the next day, Dr. King encouraged folks to put yourself in a state of mind where you say to yourself, “Here is an opportunity to celebrate like never before my own power and my own ability to get myself to do whatever is necessary.”

January 15: The 17th Annual MLK Jr. Redeeming the Prophetic Vision: Calling in the Beloved Community is at the Tacoma campus of Evergreen State College from 2-4 p.m. followed by Breaking Bread Together from 4-5 p.m. To honor the visionary life and work of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—especially his radical call for peace and justice for ALL people—The Conversation 253, in partnership with community groups and organizations, including Associated Ministries and Evergreen State College-Tacoma, we call on you, our beloved community, to join us for a time of deep reflection on our collective healing and creation of a community in which everyone is cared for, absent of poverty, hunger, and hate.

January 16 from dawn to dusk: Both national parks and Washington State Parks offer free entrance Monday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

January 16: This year’s theme for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at the Northwest African American Museum is “All, Here, and Now.” NAAM is hosting a grand community reopening on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy music, movies, motivational social justice speakers, and activities for the entire family. Check NAAM’s website for the full schedule of activities, and you can also view an excerpt from Dr. King’s powerful two-minute 1966 “All, Here, and Now” speech.

January 16: The South Hudson Music Project presents Painting the Town Red: An MLK Day Tribute to Billie Holiday, 7:30 p.m. at the Royal Room in Seattle. The first popular jazz singer to move audiences with the intense, personal feeling of classic blues, Billie Holiday changed the art of American pop vocals forever. More than a half-century after her death, it’s difficult to believe that prior to her emergence, jazz and pop singers rarely personalized their songs; Billie Holiday’s highly stylized reading of the blues tradition revolutionized traditional pop. Her notorious private life — a series of abusive relationships, substance addictions, and periods of depression — undoubtedly assisted her legendary status, but Holiday’s best performances (“Lover Man,” “Don’t Explain,” “Strange Fruit,” her own composition “God Bless the Child”) remain among the most sensitive and accomplished vocal performances ever recorded. The lineup: Johnaye Kendrick, vocals; Geoff Harper, bass; D’Vonne Lewis, drums; Al Keith, trumpet; Wayne Horvitz, keys; Steve Moore, trombone; Jonathan Doyle, saxophone.

January 16: The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration at Washington State History Museum in Tacoma features theater performances that bring to life Dr. King’s legacy. At 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Tacoma Arts Live presents the original production 11 Days in the Life of Dr. King. This production chronicles Dr. King’s life and legacy through 11 vignettes featuring spoken word, dance, music, shadow play, and historic images. At 3:00 p.m., Living Voices presents The Right to Dream: Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, a story that considers the struggle and sacrifice for Black civil rights through the eyes of a young African American activist growing up in Mississippi in the 1960s, and highlights the role of women activists. Museum admission is free.

January 16: Gather at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center or convene online to celebrate Dr. King’s birthday at a program highlighting MLK’s impact on the present and future of our communities under the theme “And We Rise.” From 11 a.m. to noon.

January 16: The City of Bellevue and the Bellevue Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. invite the community to join the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and Health Fair, hosted online from 10-11:30 a.m. The MLK Celebration and Health Fair celebrates the Rev. King’s legacy and centers individuals and organizations experiencing or responding to racial and health inequities in our community. This year’s theme is “reinvesting in health,” with holistic wellness presentations from community partners, youth-led health and equity discussions, performance art and remarks from city leaders. Get more information and register here.

January 16: Earthcorps and the City of Bellevue present Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at Wilburton Hill Park in Bellevue beginning at 10 a.m. To ensure the health of this forest for generations to come, we will be contributing to the restoration of the park by removing invasive plants (e.g. English Ivy and Himalayan Blackberry), planting native shrubs and trees, and re-surfacing the trail. At 105.49 acres, Wilburton Hill is the largest upland park in the city, encompassing a wide variety of recreational opportunities. The park’s trail is a major link in the Lake to Lake Trail and Greenway System, and its forest plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems in the heart of Bellevue. No experience is necessary. Tools, gloves, snacks, coffee, tea, and water will be provided.

January 16: Green Kirkland Partnership invites you to participate in its MLK Jr. Day 2023 Stewardship Eventsin Kirkland parks from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers will help restore critical habitat by removing invasive plants such as blackberry or ivy, planting native plants, and pitching-in with stewardship tasks like mulching and weeding. With your help, your parks will have healthy and thriving natural areas for years to come!

January 16: Celebrate kindness and community with Hands on Children’s Museum in Olympia with special art activities, collaborative projects, children’s book readings, poetry, and more honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

January 16: City of Lynnwood invites you to join them for a Day On Not a Day Offin celebration of MLK Day of Service at Scriber Lake Park from 9 a.m. to noon.

January 16: Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Grouphosts a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service 2023 at Fenster Nature Park in Auburn from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come join Mid Sound Fisheries, Green River Coalition, and the City of Auburn as we plant native trees and shrubs, remove non-native invasive species, and spread mulch to help insulate our plants through the winter! Be a part of your community and join your neighbors and friends in helping care for our local parks and salmon populations! The event will begin with a brief discussion that includes information about the site, the partnering organizations, why this work is important, tool use, and safety. We will provide work gloves, all instructions, and all tools. Please plan to arrive on time for the start of the event and allow extra time to find parking.

January 16: Skagit Valley College will host a Day of Service to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on its Mount Vernon and Whidbey Island campuses. The Day of Service features free events, community basketball skills clinics, and a donation drive. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

January 16: Lift Every Voice Legacy (LEVL) presents its 5th Annual Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Edmonds Waterfront Center. The theme this year is “When Love Changes Things” and this powerful message is needed now more than ever. There are two programs: the free morning program begins at 9:30 a.m. including activities designed for families and kids highlighting Dr. King’s messages of love, forgiveness and reconciliation. Participants include a land blessing by SiSwinKlae Red Eagle Soaring Native Youth Theater Group, rap artist Prince Cocha, Shorecrest HipHop, Grupo Forklorico Nuestras Raices and lots more. The evening program is a ticketed event beginning at 6 p.m. Light hors d’oeuvres will be served in the lobby at 5:30 p.m. The program includes Keynote Speaker Leilani Miller, performances by Josephine Howell, the Greater Everett MLK Choir Ensemble, the Barclay Shelton Dance Centre Troupe, and a presentation of community awards.

January 16: Western Washington University’s MLK Day of Service includes a hybrid event highlighting local community advocacy alongside LaTosha Brown, an award-winning organizer, philanthropic consultant, political strategist and jazz singer. Ms. Brown co-founded the Black Voters Matter Fund, is the principal of TruthSpeaks Consulting Inc., and the founding project director of Grantmakers for Southern Progress. This event will also include comments from Jason McGill, CEO of Northwest Youth Services and members of the Whatcom Racial Equity Commission. Following the event, we encourage our community to participate in service opportunities, support local Black-owned businesses, and reflect with family and friends about Dr. King’s legacy and what he meant by creating a beloved community. From 8 to 11:30 a.m.

January 16: Urban Teen presents The 13th Annual Believe – 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast Celebration at the Hilton in Vancouver, Washington from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. featuring a performance by the multi-award-winning a cappella group Take 6.

January 17: All are invited to attend the University of Puget Sound’s 37th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. in Kilworth Memorial Chapel. Join us for a celebration featuring Emmy-nominated poet and advocate for equity, Christian Paige. This celebration is co-sponsored by the Office of Intercultural Engagement, Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity, and the Catharine Gould Chism Fund for the Humanities. From 6:30-8:30 p.m.